Social Communication Disorder
DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria A'''. Persistent difficulties in the social use of verbal and nonverbal communication as manifested by all of the following: # Deficits in using communication for social purposes, such as greeting and sharing information, in a manner that is appropriate for the social context. # Impairment of the ability to change communication to match context or the needs of the listener, such as speaking differently in a classroom than on a playground, talking differently to a child than to an adult, and avoiding use of overly formal language. # Difficulties following rules for conversation and storytelling, such as taking turns in conversation, rephrasing when misunderstood, and knowing how to use verbal and nonverbal signals to regulate interaction. # Difficulties understanding what is not explicitly stated (e.g., making inferences) and nonliteral or ambiguous meanings of language (e.g., idioms, humor, metaphors, multiple meanings that depend on the context for interpretation). '''B. The deficits result in functional limitations in effective communication, social participation, social relationships, academic achievement, or occupational performance, individually or in combination. C'''. The onset of the symptoms is in the early developmental period (but deficits may not become fully manifest until social communication demands exceed limited capacities). '''D. The symptoms are not attributable to another medical or neurological condition or to low abilities in the domains of word structure and grammar, and are not better explained by autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder), global developmental delay, or another mental disorder. Differential Diagnosis Autism spectrum disorder Autism spectrum disorder is the primary diagnostic consideration for individuals presenting with social communication deficits. The two disorders can be differentiated by the presence in autism spectrum disorder of restricted/repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities and their absence in social (pragmatic) communication disorder. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder may only display the restricted/repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities during the early developmental period, so a comprehensive history should be obtained. Current absence of symptoms would not preclude a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, if the restricted interests and repetitive behaviors were present in the past. A diagnosis of social (pragmatic) communication disorder should be considered only if the developmental history fails to reveal any evidence of restricted/repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder Primary deficits of ADHD may cause impairments in social communication and functional limitations of effective communication, social participation, or academic achievement. Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) The symptoms of social communication disorder overlap with those of social anxiety disorder. The differentiating feature is the timing of the onset of symptoms. In social (pragmatic) communication disorder, the individual has never had effective social communication; in social anxiety disorder, the social communication skills developed appropriately but are not utilized because of anxiety, fear, or distress about social interactions. Intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) and global developmental delay Social communication skills may be deficient among individuals with global developmental delay or intellectual disability, but a separate diagnosis is not given unless the social communication deficits are clearly in excess of the intellectual limitations.